Name: Roasted Hot Honey Feta with Za’atar Pita Chips
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 8 ounce block feta cheese; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons hot honey; Thyme (for garnish); 4 small white or whole wheat pitas; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 3 tablespoons za’atar seasoning; Salt; Pepper

This might be one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten. It’s sweet, salty, savory and spicy all in one.

This recipe was inspired by one I saw on the New York Times. I immediately knew I had to make it.

It starts with roasting a block of feta cheese, which makes the cheese even softer and creamier. It also brings out the saltiness and flavor of the cheese.

Then, honey is added to the roasted feta. I chose to use hot honey. The little kick of spice combined with the sweet honey is so good.

I also made my own za’atar pita chips to eat with the roasted feta. And wow – these flavors are so good together!

If you haven’t heard of za’atar, it’s a Mediterranean seasoning. It’s typically made with different spices, oil and sesame seeds. If you don’t have or can’t find any, you can easily make your own. Mix together dried thyme, oregano, sesame seeds, and an oil.

Dipping the crunchy, flavorful chips in the roasted feta is a must! But you can also get creative here too. Add fresh veggies – like tomatoes or cucumbers – to dip. You can add pickled veggies or even lightly roast your tomatoes to dip.

This dish is a great as an appetizer or to make when you’re hosting a group.

Honestly though, you can totally make this just for yourself too! Add plenty of veggies and pita chips to dip and call it a meal. After all, there are no rules about what constitutes a balanced meal – it simply needs to contain different food groups (check) and keep you feeling full and satisfied (double check).

Prepare the feta

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Place feta on a baking dish. Blot dry using a kitchen towel or paper towel.

Drizzle olive oil over feta and set aside.

Cut & season the pita

Using a sharp knife, cut pitas into small triangles so that they are the shape of chips. Add to a bowl.

Add the olive oil, za’atar seasoning, salt and pepper to the bowl. Using your hands, toss to combine.

Spread pita chips evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (optional: if pita chips don’t appear covered enough, you can add more oil and/or za’atar here).

Roast the feta & pita chips

Place both the feta and the pita chips in the oven for 8 minutes.

While both are in the oven, add honey to a bowl and heat for about 20 seconds, until thin and warm.

Remove feta from the oven.

Roast again

Flip over the pita chips and bake them for another 8 minutes.

Turn the oven to broil and place feta in the oven. Broil for about 5-10 minutes, watching closely so that the top is crisp but does not burn.

Garnish with thyme

Garnish roasted feta with fresh thyme and serve with za’atar pita chips.

Notes

Substitutions: Because this recipe is so simple, there aren’t many things to substitute. As mentioned above, you can make your own za’atar if you want. I haven’t tried – nor would I recommend – swapping the feta for another cheese. The feta is the star of this dish.
Storage: Store pita chips in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. The roasted feta is best served immediately. Over time, it hardens again and loses its fresh out of the oven appeal. If you do want to make it ahead of time or store leftovers, roast it in the oven again for a few minutes before serving and/or eating.

Course: Appetizer